Summary of
How Too Many Rules at Work Keep You from Getting Things Done

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Business experts love the mantra “what gets measured gets done.” But at what expense? According to consultant Yves Morieux, metrics, management layers and processes in the quest for clarity and accountability have reduced people’s willingness and ability to innovate and collaborate. Instead, they focus only on the measured activities. getAbstract recommends this healthy perspective to business leaders looking to improve their organizations’ work environment.

In this summary, you will learn

Why productivity rates have dropped steadily since the 1970s,

How management’s quest for clarity and accountability inhibits cooperation, and

How organizations can promote collaboration.

About the Speaker

Organizational consultant Yves Morieux is a senior partner and managing director of the Boston Consulting Group.

Summary

Work productivity has steadily been dropping in advanced economies. In the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, it averaged around 5% growth per year, fell to 3% per annum between...

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Comment on this summary

I have experienced similar processes during my career and agree that you need to get rid of unnecessary management involvement in order to empower your employees.
Thank you for the valid summary. #30DaysOfSummaries

joy wang
2 years ago

#30DaysOfSummaries I agree with the point "Cooperation yielded a combined effort that was greater than the sum of its parts", and it's true too many rules suppresses innovation and collaboration. However, it seems not suitable for all kind of organizations to remove watchdog processes and embrace the messiness of creativity. Certain type of organizations still need a lot of rules to ensure its steadiness, while others need as less rules as possible.

Ying Zhen
2 years ago

Today’s firms boast unnecessary layers of middle managers and processes that generate reams of reports and metrics, which demand leaders’ time and attention- this is very true. workers want to move forward but the systems slow us down.

Karishma Samtani
2 years ago

#30DaysofSummaries I think when assessing performance clarity is very crucial. I feel it would be of greater value if the process of delivery the collaboration that takes place is taken into consideration as well.

Herbert Geissbuhler
2 years ago

somethimes we lose the real focus manage numbers instead people

DINESH HS
2 years ago

This summary does look a bit provocative ... is it really true that we have more management layers than is required in organisations ? It will be interesting to see if we actually have some research and data which bears that out ....eg -2 companies working in similiar contexts,similiar size etc -but one has lesser managers and is more productive than the other ...I would love to find this out ....

Ashish Agarwal
2 years ago

I think watchdogs may be important to deal with the also prevalent management fear, insecurity, and thrill seeking from how to get away with murder.

In my humble opinion, what may be needed is moral science lessons, some teeth and accountability for the appointed watchdogs to fix the problem till they make themselves redundant.